Their 2026 World Cup
Six starts and 480 minutes at the heart of the French defence.
Match by match
W. Saliba played 6 matches for France, starting every one.
| Round | Match | His game |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | vs Senegal 3-1 | Started, played the full match |
| Group I | vs Iraq 3-0 | Started, played the full match |
| Round of 32 | vs Sweden 3-0 | Started, played the full match |
| Round of 16 | vs Paraguay 1-0 | Started, played the full match |
| Quarter-finals | vs Morocco 2-0 | Started, played the full match |
| Semi-finals | vs Spain 0-2 | Started, off on 30′ |
Who he is
- Born
- 24 March 2001 · aged 25 at the World Cup
- Birthplace
- Bondy
- Club
- Arsenal F.C.
- Height
- 1.92 m
Data: Wikidata (CC0).
Biography
William Alain André Gabriel Saliba (French: [wiljam saliba]; born 24 March 2001) is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Arsenal and the France national team. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, he is known for his strength, pace, tackling, and composure. Saliba began his career in 2018 with Saint-Étienne, helping them qualify for the UEFA Europa League. Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 in a transfer for a reported fee of £27 million. After consecutive loan spells with Saint-Étienne, Nice and Marseille between 2019 and 2022, Saliba has become a first-team regular at Arsenal. Saliba made his senior debut for France in 2022, and played for the side at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.
Early life William Alain André Gabriel Saliba was born on 24 March 2001 in Bondy, a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, to a Lebanese father and a Cameroonian mother.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · opening summary of the article.
Tournament data from API-Football. See more rankings on the World Cup data hub.
Photo: Bryan Berlin · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)